Keeping O2 Ireland SIM active without any credit

[NFH]

I have an O2 Ireland SIM which currently has no credit. I'd like to keep it active, particularly as it has a memorable number. However, I don't want to add €10 of credit. Is there any way of adding a smaller amount, maybe just €1, so I can receive a 1-second roaming call every 6 months?

[drama queen]

Originally Posted by NFH

I have an O2 Ireland SIM which currently has no credit. I'd like to keep it active, particularly as it has a memorable number. However, I don't want to add €10 of credit. Is there any way of adding a smaller amount, maybe just €1, so I can receive a 1-second roaming call every 6 months?

Get a free Meteor SIM and port your number over to Meteor. Meteor allow you add just €5 credit minimum. They also allow you to receive free incoming calls anywhere in Europe - so, unlike O2, it could be worth your while keeping a Meteor SIM alive when you are travelling elsewhere in Europe.

[NFH]

Yes, I was similarly thinking of porting my number to a Three SIM, as I already have one that's not yet activated. The problem with Meteor is that you have to add €5 every 150 days to stop it expiring, and they charge €2 for a micro-SIM, making it more difficult to order than a free one.

Is there any way of adding a small amount of credit to an O2 Ireland SIM?

[drama queen]

Originally Posted by NFH

Yes, I was similarly thinking of porting my number to a Three SIM, as I already have one that's not yet activated. The problem with Meteor is that you have to add €5 every 150 days to stop it expiring, and they charge €2 for a micro-SIM, making it more difficult to order than a free one.

Is there any way of adding a small amount of credit to an O2 Ireland SIM?

I don't know of any way of getting smaller top-ups than Meteor. I don't believe it is possible. As far as I know the minimum is generally €10 - including 3. Meteor is the only one I know that does €5 top-ups. I think the credit expires on all networks after 6 months or a year if you don't top up. I would be very surprised if the €10 credit on 3 lasted any longer than a year.

In fairness, €10 a year isn't bad value to keep a mobile number in foreign country. You can probably get to do quite a few services like the free webtext to friends in Ireland, and free incoming roaming with Meteor. Hard to see how you wouldn't get a tenners worth of value over the year, even if you are abroad.

[NFH]

Originally Posted by drama queen

You can probably get to do quite a few services like the free webtext to friends in Ireland

It's not just to Ireland. O2 lets you send free webtexts worldwide with only some exceptions, e.g. USA, presumably for technical or regulatory reasons.

[kuba.g]

Somehow it's normal in Ireland to give free international webtexts. I also get them from Vodafone IE.

Whereas here in The Netherlands sending SMS via your operator's website costs the same as from your mobile phone...

[andy]

Originally Posted by NFH

Is there any way of adding a small amount of credit to an O2 Ireland SIM?

Sorry to be replying a bit late

Some of the new SIMs seem to come with 50 cents to 2 euros on them, so it might be as cheap to just get a new SIM via someone on eBay Ireland

And I think an incoming roaming call every 12 months is sufficient to keep it alive

[NFH]

I eventually topped up with €5 in an O2 shop in Ireland. It seems this is the only way to top up by less than €10.

[Schlips1]

Hi,
I have got my o2-ie SIM for almost 10 years. At the beginning you needed to do something chargable (eg send a SMS) every 90 days, now it is every 180 days. So just top up 10 € and with app. 10 ct/SMS starting tomorrow while roaming it will last for ever.....

[NFH]

Originally Posted by Schlips1

10 ct/SMS starting tomorrow while roaming it will last for ever.....

You don't even need to spend €0.10 on a roaming SMS. Just receiving a call while roaming for one second is sufficient, and because of EU roaming regulations, the incoming call is charged per second from the beginning of the call.